Chapter 269: The Traitor
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 269: The Traitor
“How ruthless. I didn’t expect him to do something like this in this situation.”
Seol-hwa stared coldly at what was once the Black Cloud Faction Leader.
I was surprised too.
What kind of relationship did he have with Jin-ryong to make him throw away his own life?
Or was it that thing called the Dragon Pill controlling him?
That was a possibility.
The Gu that Red Dragon had swallowed for a moment. The origin of that Gu was something that turned its target into a puppet.
A Dragon Pill containing Jin-ryong's power could certainly have such an effect.
It could also have been simple loyalty, but considering he was openly siphoning off elixirs behind the scenes, it didn't seem like he was absolutely loyal.
Whatever the case, the fact that the pill was suspicious remained unchanged.
The pill supplied by Jin-ryong's side, the Dragon Pill.
Seeing how it could strengthen an easily beatable opponent to that extent, this was not a matter to be taken lightly.
If you gathered a group of masters on the verge of the Peak Realm and had them each take a Dragon Pill, it would create a monstrous group that would inevitably stall for time, even against someone like me.
Moreover, a spirit beast on the level of the Nine Sons of the Dragon could also swallow something like that.
“The Dragon Pill… I think our cult will have to investigate it. Although the faction leader is dead, it's not like there's nowhere else to get information.”
It wouldn't be as much as the Black Cloud Faction Leader knew, but we should still be able to get some information.
After all, we hadn't massacred everyone here.
There were those who were only frozen on the surface by Seol-hwa's ability, and others who had fainted from my poison.
If we captured them and persuaded them (through waterboarding), they would spill everything, even things we didn't ask.
“Those who took the Dragon Pill all died with their bodies necrotizing… As for those who didn't, they're low-ranking, so I don't have high hopes, but it's better than nothing.”
It was better than nothing.
And there was a high chance they would be very cooperative.
Because some of them had been hit by Gomodo's hair loss poison.
Those guys would talk if you just showed them the tops of their heads in a mirror.
“It’s quite strange. I only infiltrated this place to gather information, but I ended up meeting Hui, and things turned out like this.”
“Gek gek.”
I found it strange too.
Talk about a coincidence. To think I'd meet Seol-hwa here.
“Ah, when I say ‘turned out like this,’ I mean it in a good way. I had to draw my sword eventually anyway, and thanks to Hui, it ended quickly.”
As she said that, Seol-hwa glanced down at my tail.
“It looks like you used a fair amount of internal energy, but it feels like you have even more than before. …You fed me an elixir when I was falling into a Heart Demon, didn't you?”
She figured it out.
No, would it be stranger for a master of Seol-hwa's caliber not to know?
It wasn't just any elixir, but one specially collected for Jin-ryong that was particularly effective for restoring true qi.
“Feeding me something that was meant for my sister, you silly lizard! …But to say that would be too ungrateful, since it was my fault for collapsing.”
“Ge-ek.”
Seol-hwa gently touched my plump tail.
“If we had combined it with the elixir I swallowed, it would have been just right, but now it's a little insufficient.”
The reason Seol-hwa and I had gone on a rampage here was for our Master's treatment in the first place.
We had obtained high-quality elixirs in the process, but I ended up using one on Seol-hwa.
Since one of the three was used, it was inevitable that we wouldn't get the desired effect.
But I didn't regret it.
I couldn't have saved the elixir when Seol-hwa was in danger.
“Hui, you yourself are a powerful spirit beast, so you should be able to enhance the elixir's potency concentrated in your tail. You just can't cut off your tail during that time, though.”
So, I just need to let it age?
It seemed like a decent method.
It's not like I was just going to laze around, so I could just act as usual and build up my internal energy, right?
I'd circulate my qi and eat other elixirs for fun.
I just needed to make my tail a little plumper.
It meant I just had to make up for the one elixir I used on Seol-hwa through training.
Of course, this came with the restriction of not being able to use my tail-cutting ability during that period, but that wasn't a big deal.
Tail-cutting was a technique I'd favored since my days as a gecko.
For a lizard, cutting off its tail is directly linked to survival.
Confusing a predator with a wriggling tail and quickly escaping in the meantime is one of a typical lizard's survival methods.
Of course, I, who am far beyond a typical lizard, used it differently.
My severed tail grows back immediately, and I have the trait of my speed increasing dramatically the moment I cut it.
Therefore, if I really wanted to, I could go around cutting off my tail left and right.
But even I tended to restrain myself from cutting off my tail.
Even if it grew back quickly, being in a state with a severed tail was a critical weakness.
The source of my overwhelming speed was the Little Dragon's Ascension Steps.
And that footwork was maximized when I was bipedal.
The reason I could use such footwork so freely was thanks to my long tail.
My tail provides balance, allowing me to use both arms freely while my legs are used solely for kicking off the ground.
My tail is that important of an organ.
That's why I rarely tried to cut off my tail during battle, and I became more accustomed to not cutting it.
Back when I was always on the run, this would have been a huge restriction, but for the me of today, it was a manageable one.
Of course, I've added the strategy of using my tail as a weapon with Dragon's Word, but since I'm focused on training in my nest, the chances of me meeting a formidable enemy that requires me to use a weapon are extremely low.
Even if I had to fight a tough guy like Gongbok, I can wield storms and thunder, so I could probably break through his defense in other ways.
In other words, it was unlikely that a situation requiring me to cut off my tail would arise.
“…I'm sorry, Hui. For making it so you can't do your favorite thing.”
There's no need to be sorry.
But she said I can't do my favorite thing?
Don't tell me she means Gerorong…!
“Gek?”
“Hm? What's with that expression? You're the lizard who cut off his tail as a gift from the moment we met, so I naturally thought you liked doing it.”
“Ge-ge-gek!”
So it wasn't about Gerorong.
But to say I like cutting off my tail.
What does she take me for?
Sure, I have a tendency to use my tail frivolously, but I'm not that reckless of a lizard.
“You even leave a few of your tails in my drawer.”
“Gek gek.”
That was to mark that I'd been there.
Don't look at me like I'm some weird lizard.
“Ge-ge-gek!”
As I was gesturing to express my opinion, Seol-hwa suddenly let out a small laugh.
“Your body has gotten bigger, but for some reason, you remind me of your old self.”
“Gek?”
“Hui, you really are… a strange lizard.”
Why are you saying that all of a sudden?
“I guess it's not for nothing that my sister took you as a disciple. To be honest, my first impression of you wasn't very good. What kind of lizard commits theft right from the start?”
Let's forget the past.
And it wasn't theft.
Thanks to those dango, I got to see the Snake Queen laugh happily, so you could say they were used for the public good.
Right, the dango.
I wonder if there are any left?
If she's going to give me a reward, I wouldn't mind that.
My mouth is a little bored, too.
I lifted my head slightly and peered into Seol-hwa's robes.
“My, now you're just staring shamelessly.”
“Gerorong.”
“Sigh, you're not even human, why does a lizard like these things so much…”
She said that, but her expression didn't look bad.
If anything, you could say she was smiling slightly.
“Anyway, you went through a lot, Hui. Helping me, and not digesting the elixir for my sister's sake. Our cult has accumulated too many debts to you.”
What's there to repay?
It doesn't even come close to the grace of my Master, who took me in.
Though if it's a personal Gerorong from Seol-hwa, I'll accept it…
“If it were up to me, I'd want to take you to our cult, but that would put you in a difficult position, wouldn't it?”
I don't think I'd be in a difficult position.
“You have other factions besides our cult, don't you? And I heard there's someone you need to meet here.”
Huh?
“Gek!”
Right, I couldn't go straight to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Because there was the kind Mr. Centipede!
I wonder if he's hiding well?
I can't forget to pick up Mr. Centipede.
If the mantis, millipede, and other poisonous insects are waiting for me, I should take them with me too.
Their power isn't that great, but the mere fact that they have poison is welcome.
Soyeong's realm is so low that she seems to have trouble protecting even herself, but with the poisonous insects, things might be different.
Who knows, maybe later I can make every single one of those poisonous insects evolve into spirit beasts.
Of course, our Mr. Centipede can't be assigned as a combatant, and I can't tolerate him taking orders from some Tang what's-his-name, so I'll prepare a position for him right above Soyeong.
Maybe an upper-mid-level physician would be good.
I don't know if Mr. Centipede is actually a physician, but he healed my heart, so he's more than qualified.
“Hm? No, the bugs are one thing, but you said there was someone else you had to meet?”
Someone else to meet?
“That person you told me not to mistake for an enemy and fight. Black hair and red eyes? And ‘Tounbui’? I'm not sure what that means, but…”
…Right.
That bastard, Taotie.
He said he had a plan and everything, what's he doing not showing up yet?
*
“Huhu… huhuhu…!”
I was able to find Taotie quickly.
To be precise, I heard the laughter of someone I presumed to be Taotie, but no matter how I looked at it, that had to be her.
What's she doing here?
Taotie was squatting down, delicately handling something.
“Yes… with this…”
She let out a somewhat sinister laugh.
“Everyone… shall… praise… me.”
A grayish powder full of fire energy was scattered all around, and she wore a sly grin.
“Yes… I am Taotie, and the one who will beat you to death…. Kehihit…”
Listening to her talk, she smelled a bit like a traitor.
It can't be.
Taotie was the traitor!
…Why is she like this?
I slowly walked toward her.
“Hehehe… This body is the terminator of the world… Huh?”
Taotie jumped in surprise, finally noticing my presence.
“H-How are you here?”
She even stuttered, which was unlike her.
“Gek.”
What are you doing here?
“You don't need to know! First, tell me how you got here!”
At first, I wondered what was going on, but seeing her reaction, it seemed like it really was a betrayal.
Crackle.
As I gathered the power of thunder in my left hand, Taotie's body trembled.
You dare betray me?
“W-Wait! Hold on! A betrayal! Do you really think that I, the manly Taotie, would prepare to cowardly backstab you after losing just once!”
Then what's that in front of you?
“Th-This… I can't say…!”
It is a betrayal.
Crackle!
“W-Wait!”
Tsk, why is she reacting like this?
If she were actually caught betraying me, she should have attacked immediately without a second thought.
That's the Taotie I know.
And yet, her hesitation right now was a bit strange.
Why was someone who loves fighting so much reacting this way?
“Ugh… A man doesn't do such cowardly things… This is all a misunderstanding!”
So she likes to fight, but she's even more against cowardly acts like betrayal?
“Gek gek.”
It certainly didn't seem like a betrayal.
But that didn't mean I could just let it go.
What on earth were you doing here?
“That…”
Taotie's face turned slightly red.
“An entrance…”
She said in a mumbling voice, unlike her usual self.
“If I light this… it'll go boom… it'll be loud… and then if I appear…”
Was that gray powder gunpowder?
Where in the world did she get it?
“I'd make a cool entrance… save you… then you'd say I'm amazing and I'd get a chance for a rematch… and then I'd dominate you…”
So, she made these preparations for a cool entrance?
I swayed my tail.
“W-Wait!”
If you have something to say, say it.
“I was wrong this time! But you have to understand! How can anyone resist making an entrance with an explosion!”
Can't argue with that.
But that's no excuse for throwing me into a dark cave while she was off doing other things.
No, she put me through all that trouble just so she could scheme up a cool entrance for herself?
You need to be taught a lesson.
“W-Wait! As an apology, I'll tell you something good.”
It's too late.
I'm not letting you off no matter what you say.
“I… I'll tell you the secret to humanization!”
…I'll at least hear you out before I decide.